Transportation container for bulk materials



1954 c. E. JOHANSSON TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER FOR BULK MATERIALS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 18, 1949 1954 c. E. JOHANSSON TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER FOR BULK MATERIALS Filed Oct. 18, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 14, 1954 c. E. JOHANSSON 2,697,002

TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER FOR BULK MATERIALS Filed Oct. 18, 1949 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 -//V VEA 7019-- CQEL 5 JOHGWSSO/V STU Dec.-l4, 1954 c. E. JOHANSSON 2,697,002

TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER FOR BULK MATERIALS VI/EA/ TOE CQ/PL E JOH6W550A/ 7 @"RW @M/ United States Patent-O TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER FOR BUL MATERIALS Carl E. Johansson, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 18, 1949, Serial No. 121,986

j 3 Claims. (01. 294-69) This invention relates to transportation containers 'for bulk materials and particularly to such containers which have bottom discharge doors permitting quick and complete discharge of the contents of the containers.

Containers of this character are at the present time customarily provided with pairs of doors forming the bottom of the containers. The outer edges of the pairs of doors are hinged to the containers and when the doors are closed, their inner edges meet along thecenter line of the bottom of the container. To operate the pairs of doors chains or cables of substantially Y-configuration are secured to the corners of the meeting edges of the doors. The chains or cables extend upwardly through ducts formed on the end walls of the containers to the top of the containers so that they may be engaged and actuated by the lifting hooks of hoisting mechanism.

The containers described above possess certain inherent defects. When the handling of these containers, discharge of lading and closing of the discharge doors are accomplished by the common singledrum hoisting mechanism, excessive consumption of time and the continuous attendance of extra workmen are inevitable. This will become apparent from the description of the operation of such containers by a. single drum hoisting mechanism in lines 43 to 112 on page 3 of the patent to Smith, 1,645,259, granted October 11, 1927, to which reference is here made.

The time consumed in the operation of these containers may be reduced by the use of double drum hoisting mechanism whose mode of operation is described beginning with line 70, column 1 and continuing to line .29, column 2, on page 2 of the patent to Fildes, 2,036,170,

granted March 31, 1936, to which reference is here made. However, this mechanism is more expensive than the single drum hoisting mechanism and is frequently not available. Moreover, these containers are not provided with locking means for the discharge doors but rely entirely on their weight to prevent opening of the doors when the containers are resting upon a support and upon the care exercised by the operator of the hoisting mechanism in maintaining the chains or cables connected to the doors taut when the containers are being handled.

It is the main object of this invention to provide containers for the shipment of bulk materials having hinged bottom discharge doors which will permit rapid and complete discharge of lading with the use of single drum hoisting mechanism and with the elimination of the continuous attendance of and danger to workmen.

A further object is to provide containers of the character set forth above which shall have single hinged bottom discharge doors.

A further object is to provide containers having hinged bottom discharge doors capable of being opened and closed independently of the hoisting mechanism used to handle the containers.

A further object is to provide containers having hinged bottom discharge doors and capable of being handled by single drum hoisting mechanism wherein the doors may be opened and closed either from the ground or from the cab on the hoisting mechanism.

A further object is to provide containers having hinged bottom discharge doors capable of being opened and closed independently of the hoisting mechanism used to handle containers and automatically locked when swung to closed position.

A further object is to provide containers having hinged bottom discharge doors capable of being opened and closed independently of the hoisting mechanism used to handle the containers and locking mechanism operable to locking position by the doors when the latter are swung to closed position.

A further object is to provide containers having hinged bottom discharge doors capable of being opened and closed independently of the hoisting mechanism used to handle the containers and locking mechanism operable to locking position by the doors when the latter are swung to closed position, wherein the locking mechanism willautomatically return to locking engagement with the doors in the event that it is disengaged from the doors so long as the containers are resting upon a support.

A further object is to provide containers having hinged bottom discharge doors capable of being opened and closed independently of the hoisting mechanism used to handle the containers and locking mechanism operable tolocking position by the doors when the latter are swung to closed position wherein the locking mechanism is relieved of the weight of the lading and/or the doors by the member upon which the containers are supported.

A further object is to provide containers having hinged bottom discharge doors capable of being opened and closed independently of the hoisting mechanism used to handle the containers and locking mechanism operable to locking position by the doors when the latter are swung to closed position wherein the locking mechanism is so constructed as to remain in retracted position as long as the doors are open.

A further object is to provide containers having hinged bottom discharge doors capable of being opened and closed independently of the hoisting mechanism used to handle the containers and mechanism for locking the doors wherein the mechanism is so constructed as to avoid lifting of the doors when actuated to release the doors.

A further obiect is to provide containers which shall have single hinged bottom discharge doors capable of being easilv closed and locked.

Other obiects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a side'elevation partlv in section of the lower portion of the container embodying the instant invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 22 of v Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3- 3 of Fig. 1.

Fi 4 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 3 showing the relationshi between the locking member detent and door of the container when the contai er is suspended and in d t and dash lines the relative position of the lockin member and de ent at he instant of disenga ement.

Fi 5 is a ver ical section similar to Fig. 3 showing the relative osition between the lockin member and the detent when the door has been unlocked.

Fi 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4. F' Fiig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 77 of Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 88 of Fi 2. 9 is a horizontal section taken on line 99 of Referring to the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown the reference numeral 10 desi nates a container only the lower portion of which is illustrated. The upper portion of the container may be of any desired construction and is preferably that illustrated in the patent to Ditchfield, 2,126,- 950(i granted August 16, 1938, to which reference is here ma e.

The container embodies side walls 11 and 12 and end walls 13 and 14. These walls which terminate above the bottom of the container as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings are connected by means of corner angle members 15, 16, 17 and 18 which extend substantially to the bottom of the container.

The corner angle members are secured as by means of riveting or the like to the base of the container. The base is formed of substantially channel-shaped side and end members 19 and 20 and 21 and 22. With the exception hereinafter noted, the base members are substantially the same in construction and each embodies a horizontally disposed web 23, an outer downwardly extending leg 24 to which a corner angle is fastened and which is formed with a horizontally inturned flange 25 adapted to engage a support upon which the container may be placed and an inner downwardly extending flange 26 terminating above the bottom of the container. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that not only is the container rectangular in section but that the arrangement of the base channel members provides a rectangular discharge opening at the bottom of the container which is adapted to be closed by a hinged door 27 preferably reinforced by corrugations 28.

In order to direct the material within the container toward the discharge opening the container embodies side and end inwardly directed slope sheets 29, 30, 31 and 32. As is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings the slope sheets are secured to the inner face of the lower margins of the side and end walls from which they slope downwardly and inwardly to a point above the base channel members. At this point the slope sheets are provided with vertical flanges 33, 34, 35 and 36 which are in alinement with the respective inner downwardly extending flanges of the substantially channel-shaped base members and which are secured as by means of welding to the latter.

With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that the door 27 is formed of a pair of corrugated plates 37 and 38 which are spliced by means of a Z-shaned reinforcing member 39. The door embodies similar substantially Z-shaped end marginal reinforcing members 40 and 41, a substantially similar side marginal reinforcing member 42 and a side marginal reinforcing member 43 which is also substantially Z-shapedin section.

The end marginal reinforcing members and the first mentioned side reinforcing member of the door comprises a vertical web 44, an inwardly extending lower horizontal flange 45, an outwardly extending upper horizontal flange 46, and an upwardly extending vertical flange 47 formed on the outer edge of the upper outwardly extending flange 46. Additionally, the central portion of the side marginal reinforcing member 42 is reinforced by means of a channel-shaped member 48 having a web 49 abutting the web 44 of the reinforcing member and upper and lower inwardly directed flanges 50 and 51, the latter of which is disposed upon the lower inwardly extending flange 45 of the marginal reinforcing member. The marginal door reinforcing member 43 which is located at the hinged edge of the door is formed with a sloping web 52, an inwardly directed lower horizontal flange 53 which is alined with the similar flanges of the other door reinforcing members, an upper outwardly extending flange 54 alined with similar flanges of the other door reinforcin members and an upwardly extending vertical flange 55. As is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the upwardly extending vertical flanges of the marginal reinforcing members of the door are so positioned that when the door is closed they lie adiacent to and outwardly of the inner vertical depending flanges of the base members of the container so as to prevent loss of lading from the container.

At the middle of the door the upstanding flange 47 of the marginal reinforcing member 42 is cut away as clearly shown at 56 in Fig. 2 of the drawings. At this location a vertically extending channel-shaped member 57 is secured to the upper surface of the door as by means of welding. The web 53 of the member 57 lies inwardly of the adjacent edge of the door and the flanges thereof 59 and 60 extending outwardly and are secured as by means of welding to the adjacent edges of the upstanding flange 47 which result from the coping of this flange.

Opposite the channel member 57 spaced cheek plates 61 and 62 are secured to the side wall 11 and extend inwardly therefrom to a point overlapping the swinging edge of the door when the latter is closed. The upper edge of each of these plates slopes inwardly and downwardly from the side wall and the inner side ed e of each of these plates is vertical. A cover plate 63 having the same configuration as the upper and inner side edges of the cheek plates spans the latter and is secured thereto as by means of welding. As is shown more clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the lower edge of the cover plate terminates above the upper surface of the door when the latter is closed and the vertical portion 64 thereof lies adjacent to and inwardly of the web 58 of the channel member 57 secured to the door. The cover plate 63 and the cheek plates 61 and 62 form a pocket inwardly of the adjacent side wall of a container for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Referring again to the cheek plates 61 and 62, it will be seen particularly with reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings that these plates extend downwardly to the inwardly extending lower flange 25 of the base member 19. The lower edge of these plates is inclined upwardly as indicated at 65 and is formed with a recess 66 which is adapted to receive the upwardly extending flange 47 of the marginal reinforcing member 42 when the door is closed. From the recess 66 the lower edges of the cheek plates extend inwardly as indicated at 67 to the lower edge of the vertical portion 64 of the cover plate. The relationship between the cover and cheek plates and the member 57 prevents loss of lading from the container.

According to the invention, locking mechanism is provided for the door. This mechanism is received within the housing provided by the plates 61, 62 and 63 and to this end slope sheet 30 is cut away and web 23 and flange 26 of member 19 are cut away as indicated at 68, at the cheek plates 61 and 62 to which they are secured as by means of welding.

The locking mechanism embodies a substantially hookshaped locking member 69 which is disposed substantially vertical when the door is closed. The locking member is pivotally mounted upon a horizontally disposed pin 70 which extends between and is secured to the cheek plates 61 and 62. A bushing 71 is interposed between the pin and the locking member. At its upper end the locking member is forked so as to provide space for a roller 72. retained in the member by means of a pin 73. A bushing 74 is disposed between the roller 72 and the pin 73. At its lower end the locking member 69 is provided with a ledge 75 and above the ledge and in spaced relationship thereto the locking member is formed with spaced ears 76 and 77 between which a roller 78 is mounted upon a pin 79 secured to the ears 76 and 77. A bushing 80 is disposed between the roller 78 and the pin 79.

The locking mechanism also embodies a locking detent 81 for the locking member 69. The locking detent comprises a pair of spaced segmental plates 32 and 83, the outer edges of which are curved as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. A curved cover plate 84 spans and is secured to the curved edges of the segmental plates as by means of welding. A pin 85 extends between and is secured to the segmental plates 32 and 33 and serves to mount a roller 86 through the agency of a bushing 87. The detent is pivotally mounted upon a pin 88 and bushing 89 which extend between and are secured to the cheek plates 61 and 62. A helical spring 90 is disposed between the cheek plate 61 and the segmental plate 82. One end of this spring is secured to the cheek plate 61 as shown at 91 and the other end is secured to a boss 92 which is welded to the outer face of the segmental plate 82. A cable 93 is secured to the lower end of the cover plate 84 and follows the curve of this plate to the outside of the container.

The housing formed by the cheek plates 61 and 62 and the cover plate 63 is closed by means of a plate member 94 which is secured as by means of riveting to the lower margin of the side wall 11 and to the base member 19. A circular opening 95 is formed in the closer plate 94 and is covered by means of a f-rustro-conical member 96, the closed end of which is formed with an opening in which a hollow bushing 97 extends. The cable 93 is secured through the hollow bushing 97 and its outer end is formed with a loop 98 which is used to apply a pull upon the cable and swinging movement to the detent member.

The relationship between the doors, the locking member and the detent when the container is placed upon the floor of a freight car or other support is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. At this time the locking mechanism is relieved of the weight of the door and the contents of the container, this Weight being carried by the support. Similarly, by reason of the oblong opening 99 formed in the eye of each of the hinges 100, the latter are relieved of the weight of the door and of the contents of; the container. Atthis time also the upper surface of the door is in contact-with theroller 78 carr ed by the'locking-member which serves to pivot the lock ng member'outwardly and -to maintain the upper portion thereof in spaced relationship to'the roller 86 provided on the detent. Accordingly the parts noted above arerelieved of all stress. 7

- When the container is being lifted as, forexample, from afreight car, in order to discharge its contents,jthe relationship between the door,--the locking member and the detent becomes that illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. At this time, the swinging edge of the door is supported upon the ledge 75 of the locking member and is maintained in this position by the engagement between the roller 72 in the upper edge of the locking member and the roller 86 of the detent. The hinged edge of the door is supported upon the hinge pins.

In order to release the door so as to discharge the contents of the container, the loop 98 is grasped and an outward pull exerted upon the cable 93. Rotation is there upon imparted to the detent 81 which causes its roller 86 to roll upwardly upon the roller 72 of the locking member 69. When the roller 86 reaches the position indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the restraining influence of the detent upon the locking member is removed and the weight of the door and the contents of the container thereupon become effective to swing the locking member in clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4 so that the swinging or free edge of the door is released from the ledge 75' and the door opens. Swinging move-- ment of the locking member 69 is limited by means of the angle stop 101 which extends between and is secured as by means of welding to the cheek plates 61 and 62. When the cable is released the helical spring 90 which has been placed in tension by the rotation of the detent serves to impart rotation in the opposite direction to the detent so that the roller 86 will engage the roller 72 of the locking member and the spring will be effective to prevent pivotal movement of the locking member in counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The indicated relationship between the detent member and the locking member when the door has been released from the ledge 75 of the locking member is clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

It is desired that the door when open will hang at an angle of approximately 45 to the base of the container. To this end and to cushion the opening movement of the door a plate 102 extends between and is secured as by means of welding to each of the pairs of binge plates 103 and 104. The plate 102 is set inwardly from the inner edges of the hinge plates so as to cooperate therewith to provide a pocket within which a rubber stop 105 is secured as by means of bolts 106 and 107 extending through the rubber stop and the hinge plates. By this construction the desired angularity of the door when opened is obtained so that the door may be closed by lowering the container upon a support, the closing movement of the door progressing until the bottom of the container is in contact with the support.

With particular reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings it will be seen that as the door approaches the closed position the free or swinging edge thereof will engage the roller 78 on the locking member and through it impart rotation to the locking member 69 in counter-clockwise direction. By reason of the engagement between the roller 72 on the locking member and the roller 86 on the detent the counter-clockwise rotation of the locking member will impart a similar rotation to the detent and the spring 90 will be placed under tension. At a point in the counter-clockwise rotation of the locking member and detent the roller 86 on the detent will be free of the roller 72 on the locking member and the spring will become effective to rotate the detent in clockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. In this position the detent engages the angle stop member 101 and its rotation is arrested. The locking member continues its counter-clockwise rotation under the influence of the closing movement of the door so that when the container is supported upon its base and the door is fully closed, the relationship of the parts shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings is restored. When the container is again lifted from the support the door remains locked and the relationship of the parts is as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. 1

6 In the eventthat the detent is actuated'by means of the. cable when the door is closed and the container is seated upon a support, it will be clear that upon release ofthe cable the engagement between the detent and the locking member as shown in Fig. 3-will again occur. Accidental loss of the contents of the;container is thereby avoided.

In order to release the locking mechanism and discharge the contents of the container the loop 98 of the cable may be engaged by a book. If desired the loop may be engaged by a cable running to the' cab of the hoisting mechanism so that the operator of the hoisting mechanism may from the cab exert a pull upon the cable 93 in order to unlock the door.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A transportation container for bulk materials having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a hinged door adapted to close the discharge opening, a substantially hook-shaped locking member for said door pivotally mounted on said container, the hook portion of said locking member being adapted to engage the underside of the swinging end of said door, a roller at the upper end of said locking member, a segment pivotally mounted on said container, a roller carried by said segment engageable with said roller on said locking member for maintaining the latter in locking engagement with said door, a spring fastened to said segment and said container and manually operable means fastened to said segment for imparting swinging movement thereto against the action of said spring and rolling the roller on said segment upon the roller on said locking member to eifect release of said rollers and permit opening movement of said door, said spring biasing said segment toward the position of engagement between said rollers.

2. A transportation container for bulk materials having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a hinged door adapted to close the discharge opening and support the load in the container, a substantially hook-shaped locking member for said door pivotally mounted on said container, the hook portion of said locking member being adapted to engage the underside of the swinging end of said door, a projection on said locking member spaced above said hook portion, said door during closing movement engaging said projection and imparting swinging movement to said locking member into locking relationship with said door, and releasable detent means pivotally mounted on said container and adapted to engage said locking member and maintain the latter in looking engagement with said door, said door extending below the bottom of said container and being supported upon said locking member when said container is suspended, said container being normally supported with its bottom in contact with a supporting surface, said door being moved in closing direction by said supporting surface so as not to extend below the bottom of said container when said container is placed upon said supporting surface, said door during said latter movement engaging said projection and swinging said locking member out of engagement with said detent means.

3. A transportation container for bulk materials comprising a base defining a discharge opening and having a depending flange around said discharge opening, a door hinged to said container for closing the discharge opening and supporting the load in the container, said door having an upturned perimetrical flange lying in outwardly overlapping relationship with said depending fiange of said base when said door is closed, a housing secured to said container and extending inwardly thereof beyond said overlapping flanges, locking means for said door including a locking member pivotally mounted in said housing, said locking member having a hook portion engageable with the underside of the swinging end of said door and a projection on said locking member spaced above said hook portion adapted to overlie the swinging end of said door, said upturned flange at said swinging end of said door and the adjacent overlapping depending flange of said base being interrupted at said housing, said housing terminating adjacent to the upper surface of said door and inwardly of said swinging end thereof when said door is closed, and' a substantially channel-shaped member secured to the upper surface of said door at said interrupted portion of said upturned flange in outwardly overlapping relationship with said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Shook Dec. 8, 1914 Olson Dec. 1, 1925 Fildes May 27, 1930 Otis July 21, 1931 Number 8 Name Date Dendler Mar. 29, 1932 OConnor Sept. 13, 1932 Lindberg Tan. 8, 1935 June 1, 1937 Apr. 26, 1938 Oct. 8, 1940 Borstel Jan. 13, 1942 Duncan Dec. 15, 1942 Molins et a1. June 20, 1944 Ball May 9, 1950 

